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Author: RobLeonard

Hi, this is Robbie Leonard based out of Woodland Hills, CA. I am a Vice President of Research & Development for a new startup company that produces Medical Assisted devices. I am proud to be affiliated with this company because we are passionate & determined to deliver a quality product that can improve the lives of many people with or without physical disabilities. I am also very passionate about writing and designing graphics.

I met a young woman we’ll call Natalie on an online dating site. We seemed to hit it off well. Our conversations over text messages and phone calls went smooth and we shared a lot of laughs. It appeared that we made a strong connection.

We decided to meet up at a local brewery in Lakewood, California. Meeting in person after getting to know a person over the phone and through text messages is scary.

The 2017 American election year has shown how we are getting caught up in the turmoil around us. The uproar of anger and violence has further divided us as a country. Life is too short to fall into the trap of negative emotion. There is a better way. You can use all that energy to make a greater, positive impact in the world. This world needs a leader like you to show others the way.

Narrow the focus to life’s essence

It’s now more important than ever to awaken our imaginations from childhood. That’s how come back together to lead a kick ass life.

Do you remember how you wanted to be superhero as a kid?

I wanted to be batman and G.I. Joe. Our imaginations as kids run wild. Nothing could crush our dreams. We aren’t afraid to be who we are. Running around in my birthday suit as a child didn’t bother me the slightest. We didn’t care what other people thought of us.

As we get older, we start to put the opinions of others in high regard. Many times the opinions of others determine our own worth.

Let your imagination guide you

We weren’t afraid to explore where our imagination took as kids. We created artwork of funny looking stick figures and a chaos of color. Nothing could stop us from doing what we love.

The creativity within our soul has been there since childhood. It’s our job to unleash this passion within our bones. Pour your heart and soul into your life’s work.

Free our minds to explore where our imagination takes us. Let go of the negative emotions. Allow your imagination to carry you in unexpected directions. Creativity inspires us when we least expect it.

Focus on the passion

Kids are the greatest at staying focused on the moment. They hyper focus with a smile on their face. I could play Nintendo for hours without worry or stress interfering with the task.

Focusing on the moment is a battle of creative momentum. Doubt creates an untamable beast of procrastination. It restricts our creative process. Deadlines take a death knell when we doubt ourselves.

Trust every step and the beauty will shine through. Let your instincts be your guide.

Question with determination

We were curious about the world around us as kids. Curiosity drove us to question with unrelenting power. We grasped the incredible power of ‘why’ with our whole heart.

As adults, we prefer to stay in our comfort zones and stop asking questions. It’s not worth our time. It’s easier to believe that we have everything figured out. We don’t appreciate people challenging our beliefs. We don’t want to be wrong. It takes courage to admit that we don’t have all the answers.

Our perceptions feed off fear and a closed mind. Perception takes over the moment we stop asking questions. There is intense freedom in a simple question: What facts are missing? The greatest lies have some truth added to the mix to deceive you. Perception is the enemy of truth and imagination.

To defeat perception, put your mind through a daily bootcamp:

Don’t be quick to accept a truth. You may hear or read something that supports your beliefs. Be sure it’s accurate information. Truth doesn’t always present itself on a silver platter. We must search and uncover it.

Read on a topic you’re unfamiliar with. The goal is to spark our curiosity about a variety of topics that we may disagree with. This will lead us to pushing our mind to it’s limits to gain wisdom. Search for knowledge in history, facts, and the great minds of the past.

Get your news from a variety of sources.Many of us watch or read the news from one or a few sources that we trust. Validation of our beliefs is awesome. Be skeptical of news with a strong bias towards a certain set of beliefs. Make sure you’re getting the facts, not nonsense.

Reach the core of their heart

We had friends from many different backgrounds as kids. Ethnicity or economic class didn’t play a part in the friendship. We loved them as equals.

As we get older, we want to fit in and conform to social standards of those we surround ourselves with. We start to judge others and put everyone in a box. Our differences are no longer celebrated.

Connect through our experiences

Our connection to others is life’s greatest gift. Let’s stop judging one another for our differences. Let’s focus on loving one another with our entire being.

It’s nice to have conversations about our common interests and weekend plans with others. It takes a lot of effort to peel back a person’s layers to understand who they are on a deep level.

I’m flawed beyond belief. I’m ashamed of the things I have done. I’ve hurt people with my words and actions. I have sinned and given into temptation. Setting a foot in church. Forget it. I would burn like a vampire walking into sunlight.

Can I be a Christian?

I hate religion. I want to be free. I’m suffocating with it’s judgement.

What happens when I fail you?

Would you accept me then, Lord?

I’m terrified of becoming a hypocrite.

I want to find happiness.

Is happiness beyond my reach?

I need peace within my heart.

I searched for happiness outside myself. I turned to addiction and perfectionism.

Why can’t I be the person I want to be?

Happiness comes from within. No person or thing can bring you happiness.

We Are Determined Warriors

The greatest moment of clarity grips your soul in our darkest of days.

Life doesn’t begin until a struggle shreds you apart to your core.

Battle Plan

Prepare for the worst; fight like hell.

Observe struggle without expectation like a movie without an ending.

Fighting external forces beyond our control is a losing battle.

Don’t survive. Thrive.

Be bold. Be courageous.

Live with a purpose.

Let the struggle guide you to what’s important in life.

Search for wisdom and knowledge. See where it leads you.

Struggle is a Transformative Journey of Grace

Greatness is reaching your breaking point and letting the pain transform you.

“Grace confronts us with the truth of who we are. It strips us bare and challenges us to change. It tells us we are not condemned, but that we are loved unconditionally, just as we are.” James Prescott, ‘Mosaic of Grace.’

Allow struggle to motivates you to find peace.

Don’t let struggle fuel your anger.

Struggles are a blessing, not a curse.

Struggle is creating a masterpiece from our pain to bring hope to others.

Don’t fear God’s embrace. I did for the longest time. God loves us despite our failures. He wants us love ourselves and be at peace. That’s why God sent His Only Son to die for our sins.

“The way of grace is this: Finding our value in the fact we are uniquely created children of the devine, loved and accepted unconditionally as we we are, even in the messiness of our lives.” James Prescott, ‘Mosaic of Grace.’

My friend, James Prescott gives us an incredible reminder to the power of God’s grace. His upcoming book Mosaic of Grace releases February 13th.